Beko Heatpump dryer woes DHR83431W

freelance536

Myself and my wife purchased one of the new heatpump tumble driers by Beko from AO online… Given that these are more energy efficient we were hoping it might save us some cash. Now two years in (out of warantee) with light usage the dryer won’t heat. I was hoping the forum may have some advice for us in our predicament. I did phone Beko who in spite of us diligently maintaining our drier and its prestine condition, are unwilling to help.

Any thoughts on where we can go from here?

screech_78

Your consumer rights are with the retailer so you need to contact AO. Given the age of the appliance, they’re within their rights to ask for a report which states it has failed due to a manufacturing fault. You would need to pay for this but if it finds in your favour, you can claim the cost back. 

If the report states a manufacturing fault, AO can repair, replace or offer a partial refund to account for usage. The choice is theirs. 

How much did you pay for it? You would need to weigh up whether it’s worth the hassle. 

SiliconChip

I don't know how heat pump dryers work but my experience of tumble dryers is that failure to heat is invariably due to a failed thermostat, which can be easily replaced for just a few pounds (I get replacements from either buyspares.co.uk or espares.co.uk).

freelance536

screech_78 said:

Your consumer rights are with the retailer so you need to contact AO. Given the age of the appliance, they’re within their rights to ask for a report which states it has failed due to a manufacturing fault. You would need to pay for this but if it finds in your favour, you can claim the cost back. 

If the report states a manufacturing fault, AO can repair, replace or offer a partial refund to account for usage. The choice is theirs. 

How much did you pay for it? You would need to weigh up whether it’s worth the hassle. 

I believe it cost about £419. Is it worth for me to pursue? It really leaves a bitter taste in the mouth 😔

Alderbank

freelance536 said:

screech_78 said:

Your consumer rights are with the retailer so you need to contact AO. Given the age of the appliance, they’re within their rights to ask for a report which states it has failed due to a manufacturing fault. You would need to pay for this but if it finds in your favour, you can claim the cost back. 

If the report states a manufacturing fault, AO can repair, replace or offer a partial refund to account for usage. The choice is theirs. 

How much did you pay for it? You would need to weigh up whether it’s worth the hassle. 

I believe it cost about £419. Is it worth for me to pursue? It really leaves a bitter taste in the mouth 😔

Yes, it's well worth pursuing with AO, the retailer you bought it from.
Make sure to tell them you are looking to claim your statutory rights, not the (now expired) manufacturer's warranty.

born_again

freelance536 said:

screech_78 said:

Your consumer rights are with the retailer so you need to contact AO. Given the age of the appliance, they’re within their rights to ask for a report which states it has failed due to a manufacturing fault. You would need to pay for this but if it finds in your favour, you can claim the cost back. 

If the report states a manufacturing fault, AO can repair, replace or offer a partial refund to account for usage. The choice is theirs. 

How much did you pay for it? You would need to weigh up whether it’s worth the hassle. 

I believe it cost about £419. Is it worth for me to pursue? It really leaves a bitter taste in the mouth 😔

As it's over 6 months you will need a 3rd party report.

freelance536

So, just an update for everyone. I had to get a 3rd party engineer report which thankfully didn't cost too much. The fault with the machine is one that wasn't my fault and part of a closed gas system, the engineer said it wouldn't be economical to fix it, so there would be two choices: a reduced refund or replacement.

AO said they would offer a reduced refund based on the time I've had the unit. And for anyone pursuing such a refund they said it to be based on a 6 year life span or as they said based on the statutory period of the consumer goods acts. I have an issue with this, as obviously I tried to pay more money to get a better unit which would last longer and regardless of the consumer goods act the average lifespan of a tumble dryer is anywhere between 10 and 15 years (so I'm to be believed). The issue I have is that the more money I pay for something, would mean the more it would depreciate in a year.

I said I wasn't too happy with what they had offered, but I'd like some advice; am I being too fussy and is this just normal procedure?

So the unit cost £419 and I'm getting a refund of £253

daveyjp

Take the refund and buy a simpler condenser dryer which is more likely to last 10-15 years.

Alderbank

freelance536 said:

So, just an update for everyone. I had to get a 3rd party engineer report which thankfully didn't cost too much. The fault with the machine is one that wasn't my fault and part of a closed gas system, the engineer said it wouldn't be economically to fix it, so there would be two choices: a reduced refund or replacement.

AO said they would offer a reduced refund based on the time I've had the unit. And for anyone pursuing such a refund they said it to be based on a 6 year life span or as they said based on the statutory period of the consumer goods acts. I have an issue with this, as obviously I tried to pay more money to get a better unit which would last longer and regardless of the consumer goods act the average lifespan of a tumble dryer is anywhere between 10 and 15 years (so I'm to be believed). The issue I have is that the more money I pay for something, would mean the more it would depreciate in a year.

I said I wasn't too happy with what they had offered, but I'd like some advice; am I being too fussy and is this just normal procedure?

So the unit cost £419 and I'm getting a refund of £253

AO are trying to bamboozle you.

I don't think any of the consumer acts have a 'statutory period'. They are trying to confuse you with a different piece of legislation which (in England and Wales) says you can only enforce a claim if brought within 6 years of the breach, but that is not the same thing.

Wisely the consumer acts don't say anything about average lifespans of consumer goods. All cars are designed to last much more than 6 years. Many items of furniture such as bookcases could be as good as new after 100 years. AO are entitled to reduce refund to allow for the use you have had (not depreciation) but their offer of £253 is not very generous and you should treat it as just what it is, an opening offer.

Argue that after only 2 years you are entitled to much more than £419 which is even less than the £279 for straight-line depreciation over 6 years. Ask for a discount off a new, perhaps different, machine. That would actually cost them less than the equivalent cash refund.

Be firm but polite.

freelance536

Unfortunately had a chat with AO and they're not really willing to meet me half way. Will not offer a refund based on an average tumble dryer lifespan. I did say I'm looking to get a new one from AO and would accept store credit but they said they have their policies and that's that. I might have to take it further.

freelance536

Sorry for the delay getting back to this thread. So in the end it went to arbitration and the arbiter agreed with what I had argued about the average span of the dryer. I ended up with a larger refund, AO collected the bad dryer and I just bought my new appliance else where. Thanks for every bodies help